Milan is preparing to face Inter in the highly anticipated Milan derby on Sunday, amid great interest in the return of Frenchman Adrien Rabiot after an absence of more than a month due to injury.
The Milan player is striving with all his might to regain his full physical fitness and participate in this crucial match that could determine the shape of the Italian league leadership.
The Italian newspaper “La Gazzetta dello Sport” reported that Rabiot underwent additional training alone at the Milanello center, while the rest of the players were either with their national teams or on vacation, in an attempt to reach the Inter match in full readiness.
Rabiot has not participated with the “Rossoneri” since the 0-0 draw against Juventus on October 5. After that, the French player joined the national team, but suffered a leg muscle injury, and was absent from the stadiums for more than a month.
Rabiot is considered one of the most important players that Massimiliano Allegri relies on, as the “Rossoneri” collected 10 points from 4 matches in the Italian league in which he participated this season, and their net only conceded one goal during this period in difficult matches against Bologna, Udinese, Napoli, and Juventus.
Given his importance in Milan, it is not surprising that Allegri is keen for Rabiot to return in time to participate against Inter in the “Della Madonnina” derby, which may witness the two teams fighting for the top of the Italian league standings.
The Italian newspaper indicated that Rabiot will be on the team list for the derby match on Sunday, but his participation as a starter has not yet been decided, and his final condition will be assessed after the final training sessions.
Rabiot’s anger
Adrien Rabiot, the star of the French national team and Milan’s midfielder, showed great dissatisfaction with the way he left Olympique Marseille during the last summer transfer period, at the beginning of the 2025-2026 season.
Rabiot broke his silence, and described in an interview with the French channel RTL what he was exposed to regarding his sudden departure from Marseille as “a kind of betrayal,” stressing that he still does not understand the decision of the French club’s management to offer him for sale.
The crisis began after Olympique Marseille lost to Rennes by a goal to nil in the first round of the French league, where press reports spread stating that Marseille offered Rabiot for sale after a quarrel with his teammate Jonathan Rowe, so the French star moved to AC Milan, while Jonathan Rowe preceded him to Bologna Italian.
Rabiot said in an interview via the channels (RTL) and (M6): “I cannot comprehend or accept what happened to me, it is a kind of betrayal, and in any case, what happened has happened, the important thing is that my teammates in the team know what happened, and that they know the truth, and that the public always supports me, and they continue to support me, and even follow me.”
The French international star added: “I receive many messages from Olympique Marseille fans, who continue to correspond with me through social media platforms, and that is why I also published this message on my platforms, because it comes from the heart.”
Rabiot explained: “It was important for me to direct this message to the Marseille fans, as for the rest, what happened has happened, I am a positive person, and I look forward, and what concerns me is that people do not lie to me, that they do not say that I am not the person I am not.”
Adrien Rabiot stressed: “I have always been interested, serious and keen, and wherever I went, I showed that, and I was very respectful, I do not want people to lie about that, but I also do not want to stir up controversy, because I know very well that this will not improve things, and no one can blame me.”
He continued: “I have shown my commitment and discipline throughout last season, as for the rest, I have never been a very violent person, and we also know that. Therefore, I do not want people to take negative impressions of me incorrectly.”
The French star concluded: “What happened has happened, and this is possible in football and life in general, and we must move forward, and this is what I have done very well.”
Return to Calcio
Adrien Rabiot returned again to the atmosphere of the Italian League “Calcio” after an experience with Juventus that lasted 5 seasons between 2019 and 2024, and participated in five matches in Milan’s shirt, with four matches in the league and one match in the Italian Cup, and provided a decisive pass in the 3-0 victory over Udinese on September 20.
Adrien Rabiot, 30 years old, started in the academy of Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain, who wore his shirt in 227 matches, during which he scored 24 goals with 14 assists, and then scored 22 goals with 16 assists in 212 matches in Juventus’ shirt.
Rabiot played on loan to Toulouse for a few months, during which he scored a goal in 13 matches.
The French star left Olympique Marseille’s shirt after only one season with the team, during which he scored 10 goals with 6 assists in 32 matches in all competitions, and contributed to the team’s return to the Champions League.
Rabiot has won many titles in his career, such as the French League 5 times with PSG in addition to the French Cup 4 times, the Professional League Cup 5 times, and the French Super Cup 4 times.
With Juventus, Rabiot won the league title in 2020, the Italian Cup twice in 2021 and 2024, and the Italian Super Cup in 2020.
Adrien Rabiot raised the UEFA Nations League Cup with the French national team in 2021, the silver of the tournament in 2025 and the silver of the last World Cup 2022.
